Reincarnated
by MadameLovely
Summary: Elise Gascov knew something was weird about her University the minute she stepped off that boat. The professors, some of the students, the counselor and even the dean acted strangely toward her. But what she ends up discovering about her and her family's lost past may soon haunt her- and her newly acquired friends. Will they come out on top? OC x ?, Modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ Before I begin: I should first note that 1) I have written this story on , but this will be a complete revamp of that story with more detail; 2) This is not the only story that I update, so they will be faulty at best; 3) This will be my first DA upload in a very long time, and I haven't played the games in awhile (though I'm considering refreshing myself since the new one comes out in a few months heh); 4) I go to school and work two jobs so I'm busy. This story contains an OC, and is set in the Modern Universe; there will be some name changes, but it will make sense as the story goes on. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a PM.

_Without further ado: _

**Chapter One**

They say the first few steps away from home are always the hardest. See, at home, you are sheltered. At home, everything is done for you. At home, there wasn't much for you to worry about. But once you get out in the real world, you are truly alone. The people you grew up with are off being the protagonist in their own _Once Upon A Time_, your family is right behind you—in their condo house a million miles in the middle of the sea, and you're just kind of… _**stuck**_.

Or at least, that was how I felt upon exiting the boat that took me to my new school: **Kirkwall University**.

Speaking of islands in the middle of the sea, this was one of them. It hung not too far from the England shores, but still far enough away that it seemed there was no escape—I mean, _civilization_ for quite some travel.

I pulled on the blond braid that hung over my torso, messing with the loose ends by my hip nervously, waiting for the other students to get checked in so it would finally be my turn. I didn't know the best way to dress, so I opted for leggings and a sweater. It was a little chilly here, so I was grateful for the choice, but everyone here looked so… posh, I was starting to believe I had underdressed.

_No matter. I could change when I arrived at my dorm room._

Finally, my turn had come. "Name?" asked a petite girl with short black hair decorated in multiple ponytails and wide green eyes. She seemed to do a double take upon looking up at me, but I figured it was for the same reason everyone else did. Underneath my right eye, a jagged birthmark that seemed to resemble a scar adorned my face. I blinked my brown eyes rapidly and averted my gaze as I answered her.

"Elisabeth. Elisabeth Gascov." I didn't like my name. It was so… common. "But, uh, call me Elise."

"Elise," the girl repeated, a wide smile accompanying her cute, pale face. "Well, aren't you in luck? You're rooming with me." She started filling out some information on a sheet of paper; I couldn't read what exactly it said, since I decided not to wear my glasses out in public today.

I knew I would regret that.

"I'm Merrill Woodforest," she introduced herself, extending her hand to me. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same," I responded while shaking her hand quickly before dropping it. Didn't want to seem awkward or eager on my first day. "Ah, so… where is our room?"

She gestured behind her. "You're going to go just behind this building and hang a left. Second floor, second door on the right. Can't miss it." She slipped me the paper, her smile never faltering. "See you soon, roomie."

With an uncomfortable chuckle, I waved good-bye to Merrill and walked toward the direction she indicated. I kept my gaze down, not wanting to attract any more attention due to my facial blemish. My mother—or rather, adoptive mother—thought it was a strong-looking mark, like that of a wild animal or something. I didn't entirely take that as a compliment, but when she'd said it I didn't argue with her.

Part of me believed she was stating that for my hot temper. It was really easy to set off, and my mother said that if I was angry enough, the hairs on my arms would even go as far as to prickle, like that of a rabid dog. Or in middle school when I would bare my teeth at the boys who tried to tease me, and scared them so bad they never bothered to again.

Who knew why moms say what they do? Maybe she was crazy?

I unlocked my dorm room with the keycard sent to me in the mail and stumbled my way in with the two suit cases I'd brought with me full of the things I forgot to ship ahead of time. My things were piled onto one side of the room while Merrill's was already neatly tucked away. I couldn't help but snoop around, curious as to who this person was that I would be staying with for the next four years.

Or, upon further inspection, three years.

She had pictures of her with only a few people, a lot of those same people repeating in most of them. It seemed she'd already established a little posse the previous year.

_Well, becoming BFFs with Merrill was out._

After attempting to organize my junk as best I could in my own personal drawer and half of the closet, and opting to actually use those totes my mother had insisted I bring just in case, I left my room again, not bothering to change clothes as I had previously thought to do.

Just as I was about to join the throng of students by the university's entrance, I heard someone call out to me.

"Elise!" I whipped my head around and found Merrill waving me toward her. "Hey, come here, roomie!"

I grimaced but nonetheless went over to her. She was standing with two much taller men, both of which I recognized from her photographs. Once by her side, she gestured to her companions. "This is Liam and Carver Hawke. You and Carver are in the same year, so you two might have something in common!"

I shrugged. "What are you majoring in?"

"Physical Education," he stated simply, also seeming uncomfortable with being put on the spot.

"Oh, fun," I said, not sure how else to properly respond. "Mine's boring. Geography."

Merrill was the one to perk up at this. "You're a science major also? Then we may run into each other, depending on how you scored on your placement exams." Someone was testing a microphone just ahead of us, and she placed a finger over her mouth, as if she had just agreed to a deep, dark secret. "But we'll discuss that later."

With a curt nod, I averted my attention to the woman before us. There were several people on the top of the university steps. The one before the microphone had strawberry hair and freckles, but her expression and body were all extremely fierce. _The dean and president,_ I concluded. Aveline Vallen. Very strong name for a clearly strong woman. Beside her, a man with dark hair stood very proudly, his shoulders squared and his chin tilted slightly upward. Vice President Donnic, no doubt.

"Students," she spoke finally, and everyone instantly hushed. _**Frightening.**_ "I will not bother to go over with you the conduct expected of you, for you should already know. However, if for some reason you are unsure, you can gain access to your student handbook at the university library or on our website. Point being: there is no excuse for you not to uphold yourselves to the highest and most appropriate behavior. We are all adults here. And know that any, and I do mean any, misconduct done on my campus can be grounds for immediate expulsion from the university as well as a mark on your public records." Her eyes darkened and veered over each one of us, and I could have sworn that they lingered on me for just a second too long, causing my heart to jump out of my chest. "I hope I have made myself clear. I hand the floor over to you, Rivaini."

A woman dressed in very tight clothes, dark skin and eyes, and long black hair approached the microphone, giving the dean a mock-curtsy, who in response simply rolled her eyes; her husband seemed to find it amusing, but sucked in his smile when his wife cast him a threatening look.

"I am Professor Rivaini. I am also Chief of Admission here, which means I had a say in whether your asses were permitted to step foot on this campus or not. Now even though you are away from home, and we do expect you to have fun, remember that you are here to learn, believe it or not. And you will learn." Narrowing her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips, she took looked over the crowd—and once again, I felt as if her gaze, like the dean's, stayed upon me for a moment too long.

Was it the scar? Should I start wearing make-up? This was getting ridiculous.

"Anyone else? Varric?" She smirked at the man who appeared to be dwarfed. He only winked at her and waved his hand, as if gesturing for her to move on. "Alright, well, you all go about yourselves and have fun. Refreshments in the University Center. I suggest eating as much as you like; it will probably be the only free meal you get."

_**Chilling.**_

Once we were all dismissed, it was like the island exploded with noise, people talking at once and then trying to speak over each other. Merrill grabbed hold of my arm and tugged me away. "We're going to a little club of sorts just off campus. It's called the Hanged Man, want to come?"

I raised a brow and then shook my head. "Uh… no. Clubs aren't entirely my thing." Did I even have a thing? I would have to discover that while I was here, wouldn't I? "Sorry. I guess I'll just see you tonight. Or tomorrow."

I didn't look back as I weaved my way through the crowd. I didn't want to be rude to Merrill, but I didn't feel comfortable being around her friends. And that Carver guy didn't seem to like my presence too much anyway.

However, as I neared my dorm room, I realized how little I wished to be alone in that tiny, white-walled room. Instead, I made a sharp left in the opposite direction toward what I believed would be a body of water.

It wasn't the ocean, I discovered, but a large lake that appeared almost black in the darkened night, a single silver line where the moon shone against it. Sitting on the edge, I reached next to me and picked up a pebble, then flicked it quickly, watching as it skipped across the water before being swallowed in its black depths.

"You should not be out here alone," someone commented behind me, their deep voice startling me. I whipped my head around to yell at them for sneaking up on me—but my mouth quickly clamped shut.

I didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the green eyes that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Maybe it was the tanned skin that looked smooth underneath the night sky. Or maybe it was the hair atop his head, messy and resembling that of the moon above. Or maybe it was the markings along his skin that all seemed connected somehow.

I didn't know what it was, but whatever it had to be, it made me clamp my mouth shut as I assessed him.

Finally, as I found my voice, I told him in a rather meek tone, "I can handle myself."

"That does not make my point any less moot," he responded coldly, his eyes narrowing. "I do suggest that you head back to your dorm, but as Dean Vallen said: we are all adults here."

My eyebrows furrowed lower on my forehead. "Who are you, my mother?" There it was; that temper.

"Well, I _am_ the counselor. So close enough." He turned on his heels, his hands clasped behind his back as he started to walk away. "Come or not, that is entirely up to you."

I shouldn't have followed him. I should have just went about my business throwing rocks and silently hating myself for moving so far away from home. But I had my purposes for everything.

Just like I had a purpose for pushing myself to my feet and joining his side. He was a whole head taller than me—but other than Merrill, everyone was taller than me, so that wasn't really a surprise.

"So, counselor, do you usually find random students wandering about and tell them to go home?"

"More so than you can imagine." His seagreen eyes cast down to me, as if trying to figure something out, before lifting themselves up again. "What is your name, if you do not mind my asking."

"Elisabeth, sir."

"Please call me Dr. Leto."

"Ah, Dr. Leto. Call me Elise."

He nodded, still looking forward, but his expression changed again, though briefly. He seemed to have noticed my watching him, for a smirk started to play on his lips. "Is there something on my face?"

"N-NO. I'm sorry. I mean, kind of, if we're being technical, but no… Sorry." Chagrin consumed me, and I was relieved to see my dorm in sight. "And there's my stop." I started walking faster, if only to escape this embarrassment as quickly as possible. "Thank you, Dr. Leto."

When I didn't hear a response, I glanced over my shoulder.

He was gone.

_Was he ever really there?_

Feeling uneasy, I rushed into my dorm and up to my dorm room, my roommate still not home. Plopping onto the bed, I recounted the day's events in my mind and shook my head in disbelief.

_**Day one and I could tell it was going to be an unforgettable year.**_

A/N: And there you have if, chapter one. Very slow coming, but rest assured it will pick up as time goes on.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_ THANK YOU to KYVampire for reviewing! I'm glad to see you're watching, heh! And to those who are reading but not reviewing, thanks for giving me views/visitors! 8D

**Chapter Two**

Rolling over, I made immediate eye contact with my roommate, who was bustling around our room as she dressed and brushed her hair. I glanced at the analog clock hanging above her half of the room and nearly fell out of my bed.

"When did you come home last night?" I blurted, like it was truly any of my business.

She didn't seem to mind my prying, and smiled brightly at my (no doubt) disheveled appearance. "Around midnight. You must have been pretty tired."

I tried to recall anything of excitement that could have forced me to sleep in late on my first day of university, but couldn't. Though a lot had happened between the time that I docked and the time that I went to bed, nothing seemed to stand out.

_Except…_

Dr. Leto's strange tattoos came to me all of a sudden, but as I remembered them they seemed to… light up in my memory. It was very strange.

"I guess I was," I finally answered her, pushing myself from bed and grabbing my toiletries. "I'll… I'll see you after class then."

My schedule this semester was amazing; class until noon Monday and Wednesday; until eleven Tuesday and Thursday; only on campus from eight to nine on Fridays, leaving the rest of the day to do as I pleased. I figured this Friday may be an ideal time to go out and get a job. Job listings and scouts were all over campus the previous night, I remembered that, and no doubt would be around for the remainder of the week.

As I soaked in the lukewarm shower, thoughts ran through my head. For one, I had the strangest dream. I was a wolf, and I was running quickly through a thick forest, footsteps trained behind me. However, I wasn't afraid of these footsteps, but comforted by their sound. Just as I was about to turn around see just who happened to be behind me—

I awoke.

It felt so real, I didn't want to wake up at all from my dream. I wanted to… bask in it. It was a weird feeling.

Once I finished bathing, I threw on yet another set of ever-so-flattering leggings and a long sweater, pulling on my boots and tying my hair in a messy braid down my back before running into the throng of students also heading to class last minute. No one paid me any mind, and I returned the favor; we were all kind of busy starting out the rest of our lives after all, and being late probably wasn't the wisest way to begin.

I had just arrived at my first class when I rammed straight into someone's chest, falling backwards. People still rushing around us snickered, but didn't bother to help me to my feet. Looking up, I was nearly mortified to see it was one of the professors standing with the dean yesterday.

_I'm going to get expelled,_ I thought, frozen where I sat, despite the pain growing in my arm and my hip._ I technically just assaulted a professor; I'm most likely going to jail._

"Do you need a hand?" he asked kindly, giving me a sweet smile. Blinking, I extended my arm and grasped hold of his outreached hand, steadying myself on my own feet. "You're leaning, are you hurt?"

"I—" My brown gaze lifted to meet his amber eyes, so concerned for someone that just about knocked the wind out of him. His scruffy face looked sincere, and his dark blond hair was pulled into a loose ponytail at the end of his neck, giving off that almost "hippie" vibe. Or maybe that was just me.

Probably just me.

"I'm fine," I muttered, fixing my gaze on the ground. Actually, the pain in my hip was starting to shoot up and down my side and leg, but I didn't want to burden this man any further.

"You're lying," he chuckled, taking my arm and leading me away from my classroom.

"I have class—"

"You're not going to be able to focus and give your all if you're hurting, now are you?" he inquired, though the question was clearly rhetorical.

With a huff, I allowed him to lead me toward the campus health clinic in the basement of the science center, where we went straight through the waiting room and into one of the back rooms, though there were clearly students who'd been waiting for their turn.

"Uh, are you sure this is alright?"

"Yes it is; it's _**my **_clinic, after all."

_So that was it._ Sucking in my breath, I ignored the stares that stabbed daggers into my back and sat on the cot when instructed, still keeping my gaze down.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips as he faced me.

"Ah… my arm around my elbow and… my side—hip, I mean. My hip." I raised my head so I could meet his eyes, and he was staring at me inquisitively. "Do you… think I broke something?"

"I think that you badly sprained it. Look at your right arm compared to your left. It's clearly swelling up." He went straight for a cabinet and anyone with eyes could tell he was in medic mode now. As he pulled out some gauze tape, a compress, and a couple of tools—why did he need tools?!—he tried to make conversation with me. "I guess while you're here, you may as well tell me your name."

"Elisabeth Gascov," I answered automatically. "But, uh, please call me Elise."

"Alright, Elise, so long as you call me Anders." Something about that name triggered something in my brain, but I wasn't sure what. I pushed aside my thoughts so I could listen to him again. "Just sit still, this won't hurt one bit."

As he leaned close to me so he could work on my arm, I could smell his scent. Burning wood, very earthy. I pretended to scratch at my nose, as if it was just stuffed up, so he wouldn't suspect I was actually trying to recognize his scent.

My mom was right; I _**was**_ like some type of dog.

Like I'd ever admit that to her.

The air shifted in the room briefly—or maybe the wind was taken right out of me—right before the compress was placed against my elbow. It was extremely cold, so no wonder it was momentarily hard to breathe. Exhaling heavily, I glanced over at him—only to see Anders carefully watching me.

"_**What?**_" I asked without thinking, then mentally slapped myself. He was a professor; I held no right to talk to him so disrespectfully. Besides, he was helping me; why get so defensive?

He didn't seem to be insulted by my tiny outburst, only smiled wider. "You don't allow yourself to be nursed often, do you?"

I shook my head. It was a pride thing; if I couldn't handle it myself, then I would just deal with it being a problem.

Problem solved, in my book.

"Well, know that you're all done and you're free to go to class." I glanced at the only clock in the room and sighed. I'd already missed my first class, and my second would be starting soon—and I had yet to get there.

"I think," I started as I hopped off the cot and opened the door with my good hand, "I'm just going to have to take a rest day, Professor—"

"Just Anders, Elise."

I nodded. "Right, Anders. Thank you. You know." I flapped my elbow for emphasis. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I kinda hope I don't see you anytime soon."

"How in the world could I possibly be insulted by that?" he asked, clearly mocking me, that same impish smile on his scruffy face.

"Just—I mean, I don't want to be one of those students that find themselves in the nurse's office a million times throughout the year." We were now at the beginning of the corridor, standing in front of the door to the waiting room.

"Good thing I'm a doctor." He ruffled my hair and opened the door for me. "See you around, Elise."

"You're gonna jinx me, Anders," I muttered, but left it at that. He seemed adamant that I truly was that accident prone.

He wasn't wrong. Back at home, my mother kept first aid kits throughout the house for that specific purpose, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Returning to my dorm, I felt a little bit like a failure for missing my first day of classes, but after my eventful morning, I didn't think I could focus. What really irked me, what really ground my gears, was the fact something about Anders was extremely familiar. Being with him… was a comfortable experience.

It also occurred to me then I felt that way with Merrill, Liam, and even Carver. Dr. Leto held his own piece of familiarity, but something about him also rubbed me in the wrong way, like a cheese grate against my skin. I couldn't properly explain.

Rolling over on my bed, not bothering to cover myself up, I closed my eyes and allowed my mind some peace.

…

_My paws dug deep into the ground, my jowls wide open as wind whipped passed me. Behind me, the feet of my companions bound behind me, keeping up with me rather easily. When I noticed this behavior when we first met, I would have been the first to admit how impressed I was. These were strong, capable, and loyal people, and I was glad to be in their pack._

_Or ranks. Whatever was more appropriate._

_Just as I was about to reach the clearing, the bright light of the full moon shining overhead, a group of people stepped from the shadows and blocked our path. I pressed my hind legs into the ground, slowing and then stopping completely just in time. My companions ceased their running once they noticed I had, and I could hear them bare their weapons._

"_Release the girl, and no one gets hurt," called one of the men before us._

"_Why do I feel as if you're lying?" quipped the member of our group closest to me._

_Was that __**Liam**__?_

…

My eyes shot open, and the dim orange light of the late afternoon sun blared against my vision, causing me to squint them momentarily. Moving my face away from the light, I opened my eyes again, my breathing ragged.

I just had a dream about my roommate's friend, a person I'd met only once. But even as I thought that, that familiar feeling that had consumed me before my nap, crept upon me again, and I had to sit up and force it away.

Hungry. I needed nourishment. I hadn't eaten since… well, I couldn't recall.

Just as I opened the door to my dorm room, Merrill was messing with the keycard mechanism, trying to get in. Behind her, Carver and Liam stood, the latter greeting me with a friendly smile and the former giving me a nonchalant eye roll.

"Oh! I was coming to check on you. Anders told us about a student that had gotten hurt because of him, and when I didn't seen you around campus—"

I shook my head, cutting her off. "I'm alright. I-I need air." I shoved past them and hurried out of the building. Just as I reached the first floor doors, someone had grabbed hold of my (good) elbow, causing me to stop.

I spun around to glare at them, but my expression sobered when I noticed who it was. "Liam?" Why did he feel the need to keep me from the university center? Not like he would know that I was hungry.

Or that I was distraught due to a dream with him in it; or someone that sounded eerily similar to him.

"You look ill. I don't think you should be going out."

My pride caused my blood to unnecessarily boil. "I'll be fine," I insisted, pulling my arm away. "Go do… whatever it is you guys were doing."

"Looking for you." He paused, shrugged. "Then studying."

"Well, you found me. I'm fine. Go study." I turned on my heel and rushed out, needing some air, and definitely some space.

There was something horribly wrong with me. There was something about this place that was making me uncomfortable beyond all reasoning.

And I didn't know what it was, and didn't care: I was going to figure out what that particular "something" was.

_**A/N:**_ At this point, I feel it's fair to say that you're probably confused. It will also be fair to say that I hope you are brushed up on your Dragon Age: Origins, and that you paid close attention to the Dalish missions. That's all I gotta say.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**_ As I said in the last chapter, hope you brushed up on your DA: O.

**Chapter Three**

I heavily avoided Merrill and her friends for the rest of the week, just going to classes and mechanically taking down notes and pretending to pay attention. However, how easy would anyone be able to do such a thing when they were having horribly realistic dreams about people she barely knew?

The dreams were becoming more vivid. Faces of people that I had only glanced at, like some of the professors, were clear in my head. Professor Varric, who led the music department, was in them Wednesday night, and even speaking in my dream. So tell me why I screamed when he spoke to me for the first time yesterday?

A man whose voice I'd never heard in person, yet could imagine to a T in my dreams? If that wasn't frightening, I wasn't sure what was.

Merrill, when she would see me right before bed, appeared very worried for my well-being, but I didn't feel like talking about it. What was there to really say?_ I'm dreaming about you and your friends in unrealistic situations. _That didn't sound crazy or anything.

By Friday, I felt kind of like a robot after my class ended at nine, and I knew that it would probably be best if I talked to someone about this. The school counselor came to mind, and though it seemed like a long shot, I made a B-line for his office anyway.

I knocked on the door to his office, and immediately got a response. "Come in," he called through the hardwood. My heart skipped a beat; I kind of hoped he wouldn't be in, and that I could give myself an A for Effort. Now I had to through with my plan.

My hand hovered over the doorknob, and before I knew it, the door flew wide open, the taller man staring down at me quizzically with his forest green eyes. "Elise," he muttered, tilting his head to the side. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can I—" _I shouldn't have done this._ I wasn't ready to talk about my dreams to anyone. I didn't really want to, now that I stood here like a deer in the headlight. But he was the school counselor, so he couldn't judge me, right? "Can I talk—I can come back if you're busy—"

"Come in, Elise." He stepped aside, and I slowly made my way into his office. It was decorated like anyone's office: with nice wooden furniture but papers scattered all over the place. "Are you alright? You look tired."

"I…" I bit my lip, eyeing the chair across from his desk, and decided to stall long enough to sit down in it and get myself comfortable.

"Take your time," he assured me, sitting down at his desk now.

Nodding, I tried to think of the best words to use, but they wouldn't come. "I'm having these strange dreams," I finally admitted. I had to say, it felt… good actually saying it out loud, even though it was to someone I didn't know.

"Alright." Glancing up through my blond fringe hiding my eyes, his own eyes seemed to narrow and his tattooed face contorted slightly. "Go on."

"In them are… people I don't know. Yet… I don't know, my dream self seems to know them." Now was where I started to run off on a tangent. "It's so strange. I'll be running, but I'm like a dog or something? And behind me, I hear feet, but they're of these people that I don't know. Well, I mean, I do yet I don't. Like professors and students around the school, most of which I haven't had long conversations with. But… but these past couple nights, the dreams go beyond the running ones. They seem like almost every day situations, in a period of time different from now—way in the past, I guess—and everyone is just… having conversations. About 'missions', about their lives before they had all come together—it's so weird."

I lifted my head now from my lap to face him. "It was very hard to sleep last night. I didn't want to. I was afraid of having another dream, and I did of course. But I'm starting to think…" I shook my head. "There's something wrong with me, and I—"

"Let me be the first to say, Elise, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you," he interrupted, his features smoothed out again. He folded his tanned, tattooed hands atop his desk, twiddling his fingers, his green eyes hooded as he thought about what to say next. "You don't sound like you're from around here."

I shook my head. "Well, not technically. I was born here, but my parents adopted me when I was a baby and had me shipped to the states. I'm from Florida."

"So your roots are close."

"That's what my parents told me. But they couldn't find any traces of my parents, and neither could the adoption agency. They said I was just… laid on the doorstep wrapped in some type of fur; they didn't keep it since it was dirty and could spread diseases to the other kids, though I checked out fine."

Quite frankly, that sounded crazier aloud than my recurring dreams, making me feel a little insecure.

"Maybe this is your way to cope with the new people and places around you. You're dreaming about them in the hopes to get used to them."

That was such a simple explanation, I almost got angry at myself for losing sleep over my stupid dreams. I nodded in agreement, but then something else came to me. "I… I mean, this is going to sound weird, and I'm sorry, but I dreamed of one of the men's voices before I'd ever even heard it. It was one of the professors, ah… Professor Tethras."

He chuckled, his full lips forming a smirk. "You're going to tell me you've never heard his voice before? The man hardly shuts up."

Maybe he was right; maybe I'd heard Professor Tethras speak in passing, and my brain remembered and projected his voice into my dreams. It still didn't sound right to me, but I decided to let it go.

Maybe with these rational thoughts in mind, I could sleep a little easier.

Standing up, shrugging my book bag over my shoulders, I gave Dr. Leto a genuine smile. "Thank you, sir. I… I do feel better now."

Dr. Leto stood as well and walked me the short distance to the door, opening it for me. "Please come back anytime, Elise."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." My gaze lingered on him for just a minute, that familiarity and uneasiness consuming, but I quickly shrugged it off and took my leave. Projecting to cope, that was all my dreams were.

Right?

At my dorm, Merrill was already there, sitting at her desk and hovering close to whatever she was working on.

"Hello, Merrill," I spoke feebly. I hadn't talked to her much over the past week due to my dreams freaking me out, and now guilt washed over me while staring at the back of her form. However, it vanished when she turned around and gave me a sweet smile.

"Well, hello, roommie." She pushed herself from her desk and came to sit on her bed across from me. "How has your first week of classes been?"

"Uh… about as good as it can get, I guess. I'm about to head into town to get a job."

"Mind if I come with you?" she asked, perking up. "I have some things to buy for a couple of my classes."

I shrugged. "I don't see why not." It would be nice to actually spend time with my roommate after ignoring her for the last week.

On the bus into town, I sat by the window, staring out into the world as it past by us. As we drew closer to our stop, Merrill pulled me out of my trance to speak to me.

"Have you been alright?"

I wanted to avoid this conversation, and felt tempted to simply ignore her, act as if I was too focused on the outside world to hear her.

But I'd done enough ignoring for one lifetime, I thought, so I turned to her and gave her the best "I'm okay" face I could muster.

She didn't buy it.

"What's going on with you?" She looked so petite and patient, though she was still slightly taller than me—everyone in the whole damn world was taller than me.

"Ah… just, I haven't been able to sleep well. Weird dreams." I sighed. "So I went to see the counselor."

"Dr. Leto?" I nodded. "What did he have to say?"

"Well, that I could be just projecting my discomfort with my new surroundings into my dreams so as to become more used to them." I ran a hand through the front of my hair, no doubt messing up my already messy ponytail. "I don't know, it seems as good an explanation as any."

"But you don't think that's the case."

I shook my head, my shoulders sagging. "It's weird, Merrill, but I feel… I feel as if my dreams are real. I could almost touch them." Talking about this with a counselor was one thing; talking about this with a fellow student brought upon that feeling that I truly was crazed.

But Merrill didn't seem to harbor any judgment over me, just nodded as she thought of a response. It wasn't until we were off the bus and headed toward the first restaurant to catch my eye that she finally spoke.

"I can't think of anything beyond the projection explanation Dr. Leto provided. I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "I didn't really want another one, just wanted to talk about it more, I think." I still didn't feel that much better about my situation, but it was nice to actually speak about it with someone my own age.

"I'll be at that shop across the street," Merrill informed me, already looking both ways before putting one foot in the road, though her green gaze was still fixed on me. "We'll meet back here in about an hour for lunch."

I just nodded, turning my back on her and walking toward the closest restaurant. I'd been a hostess for a TexMex restaurant back home, so it would be familiar work for me to work at a dine-in type of setting over fast food.

After applying to four places, my phone went off, Merrill's name flashing at me. I already had one interview, at least, on Monday after class, but I did apply at other places in case they couldn't work around my schedule or something. After meeting at the restaurant—thankfully not one I applied at—Merrill indicated in her text, I saved us a seat and waited patiently for her to arrive.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to see her shadow hovering behind me, but upon turning around, I had to mask my immediate fear and discomfort upon seeing Liam and Carver at her side.

"Ah!" I piped up after staring between them for a moment. "Glad to see you. Long time no see."

"You got that right." Liam sat on one end of me, Merrill on the other, and Carver across the table. "School treating you well?"

"As well as it's treating everyone else," I responded, suddenly wishing I'd gone straight home after filling out all those applications.

It was a trying task, after all.

"Have you ordered yet?" Merrill asked me, to which I mechanically shook my head.

And so proceeded the most uncomfortable lunch I'd ever had, though I didn't believe the others noticed. No, scratch that; Merrill and Liam were too enthralled with whatever discussion they were having—that I couldn't bring myself to pay attention to—to notice anything wrong with me. However, Carver's eyes seemed to catch mine from across the table every now and then.

And they screamed death.

Merrill sat next to Carver, and Liam beside me, on the way home, Liam and Merrill still animatedly talking about whatever seemed so important, Carver not paying to any of us at this point.

Only when I was safe at our dorm and in my bed did I realize I was holding my breath. And it was at the release of this breath that my stomach suddenly rolled violently.

"Are you alright?" Merrill asked, noticing how I was curled into a fetal position.

"Ah… I think I ate too fast at the restaurant," I commented. "I'm… I'm going to go to the clinic."

"Do you want me to walk you?" I was already halfway out the door, however, my head shaking violently. Honestly, I wanted to be alone, if only for a little while. When outside, and breathing the fresh air, my stomach instantly felt better, and I decided to make a B-line for that little lake I'd happened upon on my first day.

So many thoughts filled my mind. I still wasn't over that "feeling of familiarity even though both the people I'd discussed it with wrote it off as just my own coping process. But that didn't sound right to me; the dreams were too vivid, and the fact I'd heard Professor Tethras' voice in my dreams before hearing it once in person almost made that explanation fly out the window.

I felt a presence behind me, and glanced back to get on Merrill's case about giving people space, but leapt to my feet when I noticed that the man behind me was absolutely not Merrill.

In fact, it was not a man I'd ever seen before, not even in my dreams.

He had a deep widow's peak that indicated he was either balding or needed a new hair dresser, his hair a pepper grey. His eyes were slanted, and his skin was sagging, yet something about him…

It made me so sick being close to him.

"Are… are you lost, sir?" I stuttered, though I really didn't want to appear frightened by him. Something about him, that "familiar" feeling told me, was off and ground against my skin like mud. I withheld a shudder as I continued to stare at him, brown eyes wide with anticipation.

"I am not lost, miss. But it appears that you are."

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow. "Ah… no, I just… I came here to be alone," I said with more confidence than when I first spoke.

"That is not the type of 'lost' I was implying—"

He abruptly stopped his statement and whirled around. Coming up the walkway with a rather angry expression was Dr. Leto. The man smirked, bowed to me, and then bound quickly into the thick brush and row of trees to my right. When I went to see if he had hidden just beyond the greenery, I was astonished to discover the man had, indeed, disappeared.

"Are you alright?" I hear Dr. Leto call, his forest green eyes roaming over me with so much concern.

"Ah… y-yes, sir. I'm perfectly fine. He didn't hurt me." From the way his eyebrows furrowed over my brow, he didn't really believe me at first. But as he inspected me further, he seemed to finally confirm what I'd said. "Why?" I probed after a long pause.

"I just… know him. Unfortunately." Now his gaze locked mine in a way that if he had told me to jump to the moon, I would have damn-well tried. "You are not to engage that man, ever. If you ever see him, you are to run away as soon as possible and come get me or a staff member that you trust. Do you understand?"

The hairs on my neck and arms stood up, not in alarm, but in irrational anger. "I am perfectly capable, sir, of taking care of myself. Thank you." I went to walk around him, lifting my leg to stomp against the dirt path, but he grabbed hold of me and held me fast.

"Elise." I returned my eyes to his again, our expressions equally irritated with the sight of the other. "I'm serious. He is a danger not just to you, but many on this campus. I just want to keep you safe." His voice had softened, and the sound of it tugged at my heart.

Dropping my arm, I blinked at the ground a few times, clearly embarrassed, before nodding up at him in confirmation. "Yes, sir. I'll be careful."

That seemed to be enough for him. "Allow me to walk you back to your dorm."

There was no point in fighting him at this point; he would do it anyway, I could already tell. As we neared the girls' dorm, the inevitable question came out of his lips: "Why are you wandering around alone anyway?"

I sighed hotly and rolled my eyes. "I wanted to be alone." I rubbed my arms, chagrin overtaking me. "And, well, that didn't work out too well."

"You could always go to a library, or the bottom of the University Center; I hear it is quiet."

"Yeah, but…" Here it came, more weird statements from Elisabeth Gascov. "The outdoors brings me peace. It's the only place in the world that, to me, holds a constant. I'm… comforted by the sight of trees, of the sky, of the grass, of the leaves changing color, of the water. I don't know… nature has always been a calling to me."

"I see," was the only response I got, though when I glanced over at him, he seemed to be lost in thought.

Thankfully, we reached my dorm a short while later, and I lingered for a moment as I uttered my thanks. "I appreciate you doing this. Walking me." Then I added quickly, "Be safe on the way home."

"Of course." His eyes lingered on mine for just a second too long, and I saw a flash of something that made my heart skip a beat, though it quickly vanished. "Good night."

"Yes, sir. Good night."

Inside my dorm room, Merrill was fast asleep, and I slipped under my covers and prayed for sleep to overtake me as well.

There were too many thoughts running through my mind to focus on any of it, and as I shut them all away for the coming day, my wishes seemed to come true. Soon, my body relaxed and I slipped into blissful darkness.

_**A/N:**_ Yo long chapter. This was basically to get a lot of the boring stuff out of the way. Did I describe the mystery man well? Well, his identity will soon be revealed anyway. At this point, I'm going to do a time skip into the later part of the semester, but be patient. There is a reasoning behind everything.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:**_ KYVampire, I will say that you are guessing really close to the cusp, but not quite. I mean to say: yes but no. All will be revealed in due time. I would also like to extend a thank you to readerofmassdragon and yayaloves for following!

**Chapter Four**

The semester kind of calmed down after that. My dreams continued, though they weren't nearly as frightening as they were before. As soon as I stopped being afraid of them, they came less and less, though still persisted. Sleep came easier, and that was the important thing.

I did land a hostess job, but at that TexMex place that caused my stomach to roll. But a job was a job, and I couldn't be picky. My parents sent me money, but food around here was expensive and their allowances weren't cutting it. A solid fifteen hours a week would be just enough to make up a little bit of that difference.

But only a little.

My weeks were consumed with homework, work, or group projects. I didn't really like the groups I was put into, since they were kind of lazy and expected me to do all the work. I never proved even once that I excelled over many of my classmates in any subject; in fact, I worked very hard to stay "average" just for this very reason.

But it appeared that the class hadn't been fooled by my ruse, which would explain why at two thirty AM I was still awake.

As my head fell onto my desk located at the foot of my bed, the dream that had been creeping up on me the past couple of nights completely took hold before sleep had actually overtaken me.

…

_My feet padded against the floor, bounding up the stairs and into the first room I'd expected him in._

_Yet, he was not there._

_Frowning, I headed toward another room I anticipated him to be in: the pantry. Though stale, he still ate the bread in there. I had insisted that, now that we had money thanks to Hawke's missions, I go and get fresh bread on a more regular basis, but he would shrug the suggestion off._

_As of late, I started to notice that his behavior was a little off. And I knew exactly why, and the thought made my heart rip in two. _

_I heard the noises from my room downstairs and in the furthest part of the left corridor, since the woman didn't know how to keep her moans to herself. A part of me believed she was so loud in spite of me, for, according to Varric, it was evident how I felt about my "housemate" of sorts. _

_Still, I also knew I held no right to him, that he was essentially a free man—though he didn't believe so, and wouldn't until his former master's heart beat its last palpitation in his lyrium-laced hands—so I never said anything to him about it._

_I never told him how the noises coming from his room broke my heart. I never told him how watching him make alluring eyes at the wretched woman made me want to vomit. I never told him how I could provide the same amount of satisfaction as she, and the fact he disregarded me as an option completely blew my mind on numerous levels._

_Hawke and Varric think I should say something, they think I should confess my feelings. But both myself, and even Anders, knew that would be a very bad idea. It would only complicate things._

_Fenris didn't have sex with Isabela because he loved her, that I knew. Isabela also didn't show any signs of romantic adoration toward Fenris, and something about that made my blood boil. I dedicated so much time and effort into loving him, and could show him that, yet he wanted her company. _

_The last room that I expected him to be in, the dining room in the other corridor, was exactly where I spotted him. Thankfully, Isabela decided to take a night off. With a small, sheepish smile, I entered the room and sat down beside him, folding my hands before me on the table._

_He was studying a book Hawke had taught him to read, his eyes honed in on the words in remarkable concentration. With an irritated sigh, he leaned back in his chair and glared at me with those familiar, beautiful forest green eyes._

"_Can I help you?" _

"_You've been locked up in this room with that book for hours. Why don't you come take a walk with me?" Before he could even open his mouth, I added quickly, "You look like you need it."_

_He ground his teeth together, his way of mulling something over, before shoving the book away from him and standing up. I followed suit immediately, elated that I got at least a few minutes alone with him._

_Those were the moments I held the most precious, being alone with Fenris. Because at that point, he let down all of his walls, and I could see the gentle, lovely spirit that he didn't allow anyone, not even Isabela, see._

_Sure, she'd seen him naked, but that was literally all there was to their relationship. There was no emotion between them, not what he and I had, and something about that fact I cherished more than anything._

_As we strode through Hightown, we stayed silent for a time, the moon shining bright above us, not allowing the stars a chance through. Then he said, "I've been worried about you lately."_

_I blinked rapidly, stopping in my tracks and gazing up at him with my dark brown eyes. "What? Why?"_

"_You don't think I've noticed? You sneaking out in the middle of the night and coming home smelling like Sundermount?"_

_I sucked in my lips. On nights when I couldn't stand the sound of their love-making—if it could even be called that—I changed into my other form and ran away, finding a bush in the mountains to sleep in until the morning sunlight woke me up. _

"_Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Fenris pushed, his hands clasped behind his back._

"_I…" __**I'm jealous of you and that woman. I'm jealous that it is not me that you have in your bed. I'm jealous of the fact she's seen every physical part of you that I've only dreamed about. I'm hateful of someone who is honestly nothing less than nice to me.**__ "I just like the night air. You know that."_

_He saw through my hesitation, but didn't say anything more about it. Just glared at me briefly before continuing to walk again._

"_I'm safe when I'm out there, Fenris. I promise." _

"_Ever since… ever since running into your father, I've been very protective, and I don't want to discover you've been kidnapped again—"_

…

A loud siren went off, and I jolted awake, throwing my head back and staring down at my desk. Thankfully, I didn't drool on my work, but now I needed to focus on the task before me: figuring out what that sound is.

Merrill was throwing the covers off her body and slipping her night shoes on, rushing toward the door. "Come on, Elise, it's a fire drill!"

Eyes wide, I followed after her, throwing my tennis shoes on and then reaching for the door—

Only to reel my hand back at the intense heat beyond.

"M-Merrill, it's outside the door!" And just as I said that, smoke started to billow from the crack beneath the door.

Merrill reacted instantly, grabbing for our dirty towels and piling them on the opening, then pulling me toward the window.

"Unfortunately, the university wasn't smart enough to install fire escapes, so we may have to scale the building."

With all its ledges and various rooftops, that would be possible. But I wasn't a very stealthy person under pressure. "What if I fall?"

"Then don't."

That was not helpful advice.

As we opened the window, we heard a crackling noise coming from the door. Glancing back, I noticed that the door was cracking under the immense heat.

"Girls!" called a familiar voice—It was Professor Rivaini, waving at us from the grass below. "Girls, what are you doing?!"

"The fire is just outside our door, we have to exit this way!" Merrill yelled back, climbing over the windowsill and onto the nearest ledge on the window below us. We weren't very high up, but high enough that if there was one false move, we'd be knocked unconscious.

_**Or worse.**_

I didn't want to think about it.

I followed in her every footstep, keeping my eyes on my feet and hands and not the ground. No one would be happier than me once we actually reached the bottom; I considered committing myself to the grass.

"Elise, your foot!"

My thoughts had strayed away to actually being on the ground before reaching it, and my foot missed its hold. The next thing I knew, my hands slipped away from the ledge and I was falling toward the ground in slow motion. Closing my eyes, I wondered if it was too late to pray to whoever waited up there for me, and if great-grandmother was screaming about "that child bein' so damn reckless".

Just as I finished my prayer, my back landed against something surprisingly soft. I didn't see them unload a trampoline, so what in the world could it have been? Opening my eyes, I glanced behind me and gasped in awe and fear.

Fenris.

No, this wasn't Fenris. This wasn't the elf in my dreams, though they did hold the same exact features, right down to the tattoos.

"Dr. Leto," I mumbled, and he only smirked at me as he helped me to my feet.

Only when he was reassured I could stand on my own did he let me go; something deep within me didn't want him to, but I said nothing about it.

"Are you alright?" That was Merrill's voice, and it seemed to be the only thing to tear my attention away from my savior. "I got so scared just now!"

"Yes, I'm fine," I answered through a harsh breath. "Whoozy, but fine."

"Maybe you should go to the clinic," Dr. Leto advised. "You're wobbling."

It had been a rather sudden and no doubt traumatic experience, and I did feel light headed. Plus, seeing Anders may actually calm me down. "Yeah, I'll go do that." As I walked in the direction of the clinic, I could hear someone following after me.

Upon further inspection, it was Dr. Leto.

"Sir?"

"I want to make sure you get there in one place. Do you have a friend's in which you can stay?"

I grimaced, thinking, then shrugged. "I… I could stay with Liam and Carver Hawke," I suggested. They lived in rather gross conditions, but they were really the only friends I had besides Merrill.

"I'm not sure that's wise," he muttered, but before I could ask what the actual hell that meant, he continued: "How about you come stay with me? I have extra rooms, it won't be a bother."

My face flushed; was that a bad idea? As Dr. Leto had just said, that didn't sound wise. But I jumped at the chance anyway. "Yes, thank you, sir."

A genuine, small smile appeared on his lips for only a brief moment, but it was enough to distract me from our current destination. Thankfully, he was paying attention for the two of us, and we arrived at the clinic safe and sound, just as he wanted.

"What's all this?" Anders asked sleepily, rolling over from the cot he was resting on to gaze between the two of us. Alarm instantly covered his features, and he sat up completely straight now. "What is it?"

"There was a fire in my dorm. I… had to escape through the window, and ended up falling—"

"Do you have a concussion? Bleeding?" He reached out with his long, warm hands and held my face gently, his gaze hold mine before glancing at various parts of my face and head. Satisfied with what he saw, he gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

Something next to me felt… suddenly dark, and I gazed over briefly at Dr. Leto to see if he noticed anything.

I regretted it.

The statement "if looks could kill" popped into my head and was so clearly true in this moment. Anders didn't seem to notice, however, as I held his complete attention.

"I-I felt whoozy," I continued, forcing my eyes away from the brooding guidance counselor. "Still do. And I thought I'd just get checked."

"Well," he pondered aloud, inspecting me more thoroughly, raising my arms, rubbing my legs, even wiggling my toes to make sure blood was flowing through each part of my body. "Even a small fall could cause you to feel this way. All I can suggest is rest, and if the feeling persists, come see me in the morning."

"Yes, Anders." I smiled and turned on my heel. "Thank you."

With Dr. Leto close behind, we exited the clinic and into the night air again. It was stale from the smell of smoke wafting from the girls' dorm, but otherwise the looming darkness was calm.

"Dr. Leto," I began, keeping my gaze on the ground. "Thank… thank you. For saving me back there."

"There is nothing to thank me for, Elise. I would gladly do it again."

I shook my head as I lifted my gaze to his walking form leading the way. "I wouldn't want you to do that again—"

"That is not up to you," he interrupted, green eyes catching mine in a sideways glance, though not stopping in his tracks. "I am… very protective of my students."

"_Ever since… ever since running into your father, I've been very protective, and I don't want to discover you've been kidnapped again—"_

"Kidnapped…"

"What?" Now he actually stopped walking to face me, shock overcoming his face.

"Nothing, sir. I'm just tired. Shall we head home?"

_Home._ Like I held any right to call it that. However, he didn't correct me, only led the way forward toward his house—_**his**__ home_.

**A/N:** Things are starting to come to light, eh? Who started the fire? Just what is Elise's relationship to Dr. Leto? Back in the previous chapters, why did she dream of herself having paws?

The world may never know.

Jk you will just keep reading and leave reviews bye.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_ YOOOOO Hey thanks for the reviews and follows guys! I'm glad that you're so enthralled with the goings-on!

**Chapter Five**

My head was pounding as I awoke, pushing myself against the mattress so as to sit up. At first, I couldn't remember anything from the previous. I remember seeing Merrill's face. I remember seeing Anders… And Dr. Leto's.

Then it all came to me in an instant. The fire. The fall. Going to the clinic.

And where I ended up.

Throwing off the blankets, I shoved myself to my feet, making myself dizzy for a second but quickly recovering. Then I went to the nearest mirror—a vanity?—and observed myself for the first time since the fire.

My hair was a wreck; that much was to be expected. I hadn't put it up before sleeping—quite frankly, I didn't remember actually going to bed last night. How did I end up here again? I remember walking and then… waking up in someone else's bed.

Speaking of "someone else", where was Dr. Leto?

And more importantly still, I didn't dream last night; was last night's events so traumatizing that it scared my dreams away?

Somehow, that made me feel a little sad. Out of everything that happened to me within the past couple months, my dreams were the only constant I had, and something I started to look forward to. Things about them—the people, the scenes, the conversations—were as real to me as my actual reality, and not entering that part of "reality" when I exit my own made me feel… a little incomplete.

My clothes were the next things that caught my sight. They weren't mine; and once again, I didn't remember changing once last night—or even getting here. It was just a long—for me—white button down and light grey basketball shorts, but it still made me feel uneasy.

_Who changed me? Did I change me?_ That was the question of the morning. Then everything else could answered right after.

I observed my surroundings one last time, my hand on the cold, metal doorknob. My bed was a king size, the blankets and comforters, admittedly, more comfortable than the ones given to me at the dorm. Across from it was a wardrobe closet, and adjacent to that sat a dresser, all of which made of wood. Then there was the vanity, and there seemed to a door leading to another room, a bathroom perhaps? I didn't have time to investigate that further; more pressing things were before me.

Upon opening the door, I first saw just a blank white wall. To my left, another wall, and then to my right was the rest of the hallway, which was an easy indication which way to go. I walked slowly down the corridor, taking in everything I came across. Something about it seemed mildly familiar, and I was unsure why. My stomach lurched, like it typically would when remembering something one would rather forget.

What an odd sensation.

I finally found a door and opened it, and the smell of honey and fresh bread hit my nose. I glanced at the old black stove and lo and behold, Dr. Leto was standing before it, having not noticed my presence. I shut the door behind me, finally catching his attention. He blinked a couple times, as if he didn't recognize me, then his dark eyebrows shot up on his forehead. "Ah, Elise. You're awake." He flipped his wrist to observe the time on his watch then shrugged.

"I hope you didn't have anything to do this morning. It's already nine."

"Nine…" I gasped suddenly, turning around to open the door. "Crap, crap, crap!"

"What, what, what?!" I heard a clatter as Dr. Leto fumbled with the stove and its contents.

"I'm gonna be late for work! Oh, _GOD_." I slapped my forehead then pressed it against the door, feeling defeated. "My uniform's at the dorm. It's probably burnt to a crisp."

"You have a job?" he asked, now coming to stand close to me. I turned around to face him and nodded. "During your first year of college, that probably isn't ideal."

"You always have something to say about what I shouldn't do, don't you?" Reaching behind me, I opened the wooden door again and stormed toward the exit.

Wherever the fuck that was.

"Elise," I heard him call, and he sounded almost tired by my sudden bratty behavior. I spun on my heels to face him, my expression no doubt showing how irritated I felt. "I told you, I care about my students." He was standing in the entryway, his arms crossed and leaning against it. I had to admit, his stance and that frustrated smolder he was giving me made me consider coming back.

_But to __**what**__?_

And I did still have to call work and let them know I would be in late. _Or not coming in at all._ I sighed, dragging my sorry butt back to the kitchen. "Do you have a phone?"

"Are you calling in?"

"I guess. I don't really have a choice since I don't have a uniform."

"Maybe you can get a doctor's excuse from Anders," he advised as he placed the food he'd cooked onto two plates. "Have him write something about inhaling dangerous fumes."

"That isn't the type of counseling that you're licensed to give me," I remarked, staring at the food he placed before me. Smoked sausages, scrambled eggs, and toast dripped in honey.

_He can cook too? Are you kidding me? _

"Who said I was licensed?" The food in front of my lips stood suspended on its fork, my mouth agape. "You seem surprised."

"Kind of?" I set my fork down—regretfully; it smelled really good.

"Well, let's just say that it pays to have connections."

I nodded, knowing that was the absolute truth. That was something emphasized in both high school and in my classes now. A degree meant dirt if you didn't have the connections to back it up.

Silence fell over the table as we ate, and admittedly I started to feel awkward, mostly because of that nagging question in the back of my head.

As if reading my thoughts—or probably my face—Dr. Leto spoke first. "What's on your mind, Elise?"

"How did I get into these clothes?"

One side of his lips lifted as he chuckled. "I put you in them."

I dropped my fork again, my face burning as it turned bright red. "What?"

"I changed your clothes."

For a minute, it was literally us having a staring contest—and he thought all of this was hilarious.

"Why?!"

"Because yours were dirty," he answered instantly, standing up with his empty plate and tossing it into the sink. "Covered in soot and—"

"But the burning question is, why didn't _**I**_ do it?"

"You're welcome." He had this smirk on his face that made me just want to punch him.

"Dr. Leto—"

"Fenris."

All the anger that had started to consume me washed instantly away at the mention of that name. "Excuse me?"

Fenris was a precious name. Fenris was the name of a man my dream-self knew, someone that she was indebted to. Fenris had saved her life on multiple occasions, in every way that you can save a person. But I had yet to hear that name aloud.

"Fenris. That is my name, actually."

"Oh. Well, Fenris," I started again, the name sounding weird on my tongue as I said it aloud, "I don't appreciate you changing my clothes when I am a grown woman and—"

"You were passed out before even arriving here." I rasied an eyebrow, probing him to continue. "I drove us here and you fell asleep in the passenger's seat. I carried you inside, changed your clothing, and set you to bed. And before you get more worked up, I didn't do anything."

Now I was more embarrassed. He had been so giving to me, allowing me into his home, to sleep in one of his spare rooms (or I assumed it was spare), even making me breakfast, and I was upset because my clothes were different.

"Thank you," I huffed relentlessly, averting my gaze to the other side of the room.

"Do not mention it." Then, mumbling, he added, "Really."

"Well, I do have another question," I said, facing him again.

"And what would that be?" He sat at the table again, resting his chin on his folded hands and staring at me intently with hooded green eyes.

"Did they figure out what caused the fire?"

His gaze grew instantly dark and he closed his eyes for a pause before looking at me again. The blackness from before had disappeared, though I could tell he was straining to control it. "They have a lead, but they cannot find him."

A shiver went up my back. "You mean… that man from awhile ago?"

He nodded, that angry expression playing on his features before vanishing once more.

"This isn't a big place," I pointed out, though that was blatantly obvious. "So why would he be hard to find?"

"Because this place, believe it or not, has a lot of places to hide in. Underground and above-ground alike."

It didn't occur to me that this island could have an underground, but then again, didn't everywhere? To some extent, at least.

"Well… I'm going to call work and tell them what happened. Then see about that doctor's note." I moved away from the table, but lingered at the open doorway. "And uh… really. Thank you."

I could hear the smile in his voice as he responded back to me: "You are most welcome, Elisabeth."

…

"He told you to get a doctor's note from me, huh?" Anders asked, looking both amused and annoyed by the request.

"I, er, I understand if you can't. You know, morals and whatever, and I'm sure my boss'll understand—"

"I'm already working on it, Elise, don't make me change my mind." He was scribbling on a pad of paper I hadn't even noticed he produced. Ripping off the top sheet, he held it out to me. "Will that suffice?"

I read what he wrote down.

_Miss Elisabeth Gascov could not be into work for she had succumbed some severe congestion due to a fire in her dorm. She will be able to return on the next scheduled work day._

_Thank you,_

_Dr. Anders of Kirkwall University_

"Uh… yes, that is perfect." I pocketed the note and hopped off the small cot, heading toward the door when I felt his hand wrap around my upper arm. Wide-eyed, I turned back to face him. "Yes, Anders?"

"Are you feeling any better from last night? Honestly?" The concern on his face was genuine, and made my heart tighten in response. "You just seem off, is all."

"Well… I did just go through a dorm fire and a near-death fall within the last twelve hours, so I'm not entirely… okay. But to answer your question, I am better." That was the truth. I'd slept and eaten since then, and hadn't had any dreams to make me feel bleary—though I was still slightly disappointed by their disappearance.

"Well, know that if you need me, you are welcome come down and visit. For anything. Not just medicinal."

I gave him the most sincere smile I could. "Thank you, Anders." Releasing myself from his hold, I opened the door to leave when I was stopped in my tracks by—

Professor Rivaini.

"Oh, well excuse me, Missy." She didn't sound malicious, though her words would have revealed as much. Instead, she seemed amused by my shock.

The thing was, due to my dream, I unwillingly regarded Professor Rivaini as an enemy of sorts, although the dreams weren't in anyway real. So I did my best to avoid her. Seeing her in the flesh, it made me slightly uncomfortable.

"S-sorry," I stuttered, stepping aside to let her through. "Just leaving."

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Missy. It's none of my business." She winked subtly at me, though not subtle enough to go unnoticed by Anders.

"Isabela, leave the girl alone." Glancing over at him, his cheeks looked as pink as mine felt.

_Why were we embarrassed? We hadn't done anything wrong._

"Oh, Anders, you know how I like to poke fun." With a sultry smile, she waved me off. "Go on now. We'll no doubt see each other later, and this is a _private_ session."

Sucking in my lips, my face turning even hotter at that comment, I scurried out of the office and into fresh air.

"Elise!"

_**More **__people?_

Merrill came running up to me, Liam and Carver in tow, with a relieved smile on her face. "I was just looking for you. They're allowing girls to retrieve stuff as possible with the help of the fire department, and they're making a note of things that were destroyed for everyone to ensure they get compensated."

Well, that wouldn't have meant anything if the picture of my first time on a horse or those two medals I won in fifth grade were destroyed, since they couldn't be replaced, but why be the Debbie Downer here? I walked alongside them, but slowed my pace as the image of our dorm came into view.

It wasn't the whole dorm, thankfully, but with so much of the second floor destroyed, there would be no way it was livable at this point. Our dorm room was in clear view, the door and wall having been burned through. The place where our beds once stood was nothing but a pile of black, our dressers charred, and the walls that were once white now grey.

A whimper escaped my lips, but then something else inside me surfaced. It made my throat vibrate, and a sour taste entered my mouth. The other three turned around to stare at me, clearly shocked by my reaction.

For I had just growled.

It felt almost instinctual; whoever caused this fire destroyed things that rightfully belonged to me, my property, _my territory_. My stomach turned suddenly, and the thought that 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea' crossed my mind. But as the moment past and we neared the building, I knew I couldn't back out now.

I needed to get my belongings back, whatever ones I could.

It occurred to me that I never did try to get ahold of my mother, whether by using someone else's phone or by sitting in front of one of the library's computers and messaging her on Facebook. But there seemed so many more dire things presently I didn't put it as top priority. I would have to make a note of it for later.

After gathering what we could, with the help of Carver and Liam, the three of them pondered on where they would stash Merrill's things, since the boys' room was pretty trashed with their own stuff. Like clockwork, I sensed him before I saw him, and Dr. Leto—Fenris came sauntering up to us like we weren't holding our charred belongings in our arms.

"Do you need help?"

"Yeah, do you have any room at your house for some of this shit, Fenris?"

"It's not shit!" Merrill piped up, nearly dropping her stuff in the process. "It's all very important things."

"Yeah, now that it almost got eaten by a fire."

"You are more than welcome to keep your belongings at my house, Merrill."

Merrill gave Fenris an almost-tearful look, and I had to suppress yet another growl; what the actual fuck was the matter with me today?

Loading our items into his SUV, we piled in, me taking the front passenger seat—to Carver's behest—and headed toward Fenris' home. Merrill, Liam and Carver talked animatedly in the back about what they would have for dinner, Fenris seeming to be holding on to the very last semblance of patience he had left. I had nothing to contribute to the conversation, so I just stared out the window and watched the golden trees pass us by.

After a few minutes, a voice unfamiliar to me entered my ears—or rather my mind. Blinking, I pulled myself from my reverie and listened to it.

"_Please don't hit me."_

I glanced around at the others, now arguing in the back and Fenris glaring irritably out of the front windshield. It was none of them, then who?

"_Please don't hit me."_

My eyes caught sight of something playing at the side of the road, hesitating to cross, but then finally jumping out.

It was a wolf.

"Watch out!" I screamed, holding onto the dashboard for dear life. Fenris slammed on his breaks, causing us to lurch forward, my head slamming against the door as I was forced back thanks to my seatbelt. The wolf stared through the windshield, seeming to catch my gaze, before crossing to the other side of the road and disappearing into the woods.

None of us could speak; the sudden stop had surprised us all, even the one who administered it. Then Liam muttered from the seat behind me, "E-Elise, your head is bleeding."

Mechanically, I reached up to touch my forehead, and sure enough when retracting it, it shone red. "It… it doesn't hurt."

"We should get home quickly," Fenris said in a low voice, starting up his car again driving home, though being cautiously, visibly slower.

…

"That stings." I winced as Merrill washed rubbing alcohol on my wound. It wasn't deep, just long, and stopped bleeding once we had put a warm compress on it. Now Merrill was dressing it to keep it from getting infected.

"It's for your own good." After the rubbing alcohol, she took a piece of gauze and put Neosporin on it, then placed that and then a large Band-Aid on the wound, smiling and sitting back to observe her work. "Good as new."

"Thank you."

Liam and Carver seemed uncomfortable just sitting there, so they moved toward the door. "We'll start unloading everything and bringing it inside."

"I'll help," Merrill said, standing up quickly and rushing over to them. "You'll probably act haphazardly with our things and break them."

"You have no faith in me, do you?" Carver grumbled, stomping ahead of the trio.

Just as they left, Fenris entered the room, his expression full of concern.

"How's your car?" I asked, mostly in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I expect it took more damage than me."

"Perfectly fine. No dents. Can't say the same for that head of yours." He occupied the chair that Merrill had been in, leaning forward to observe the dressing on my head. "Does it really not hurt?"

"It does now that it's had alcohol on it." I shrugged. "But otherwise, it's fine."

"Can I ask, then, what prompted you to scream like that?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I don't… want to answer that question."

"You almost cost me my breaks," he reminded me, though he didn't look the least bit angry about it. "I would like some type of explanation."

I sucked in my lips. I couldn't say something along the lines of _"It talked to me through my thoughts"_, for I probably already appeared demented as it was. So instead, I said, "I just have a soft spot for animals and panicked."

Seemed like a legitimate enough response.

But Fenris wasn't buying it. "That seems fair, but what is the real reason?"

I groaned. "It's very hard to explain. I just… I just don't… I don't' know, honestly, alright?" It wasn't right of me to get defensive. He had a point; I almost ruined his car because of one damn animal. But hearing its voice—I know that was what happened—made me sympathize for it. But that wasn't something I could say aloud, now could I?

"Alright. When you wish to talk, I will listen." He pushed himself from the chair, still holding my gaze and making my heart stop.

It was that level of concern, that soft expression on his face, that made my breath catch. Usually, he looked snide or rough around the edges, but not this… this _vulnerable_.

I was about to speak, I was about to literally confess everything, when a scream could be heard from outside. We bolted from the kitchen and outside—

And the sound that came from Fenris' mouth could not have been of this Earth.

Seeing a man like him angry was definitely the most frightening thing to ever behold.

And I didn't blame him.

_**A/N:**_ Whoops cliffhanger bye.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:**_ Sorry not sorry about the cliffie.

**Chapter Six**

Liam and Carver were both hovered over Merrill, staring at the damage before them. It seemed they had gotten about half of our things from the trunk of Fenris' SUV before it burst into flames.

The strange thing was, we didn't hear it from inside the house, yet we heard Merrill screaming. But we were also so consumed with our conversation that, well, we just didn't care to hear it.

That made me feel guilty.

Fenris tried his best to fan out the flames, but they engulfed his vehicle rather quickly. With another inhuman growl, he stormed back to his house, no doubt to send the fire department our way. After what seemed like ages, he came back out with two fire extinguishers and thrust one at Liam. "Hawke, get your ass over here and start helping me."

Liam nodded, a small smirk playing on his lips. The way someone smiled when they remembered something, actually. But I didn't dwindle on that long. Standing next to Merrill now, holding her hand, we watched as Liam and Fenris tried to control the fire.

It was while the embers slowed to burning red instead of bright orange that another car rolled up, slowing down once it saw the commotion in front of Fenris' house. Parking, the first person to hop out was Anders. I wanted to run over and hug him; it was nice to see a familiar face, though I had just seen him not too long ago. Next was—

Isabela.

My breath caught. That irrational part of me still found her an enemy, if only because my dream-self found her as one. It was also the reason I stopped with my idea to hug Anders.

Next came Professor Tethras, a wide smile on his face. Why in the world would he find this amusing? This was an awful situation; he should be terrified like the rest of us!

Then last, but certainly not least, from the front passenger's side emerged Dean Aveline Vallen.

I gulped. I didn't know why, but I just didn't feel comfortable around her. It didn't help that when on campus, and when passing by her, she seemed to almost glare at me, like I had done something wrong by just walking by her. But she never once spoke to me, despite her insisting glaring. She spotted me right away, standing on the side, still grasping Merrill's hand, but her freckled face housed an expression of concern over malice.

Somehow, I didn't appreciate that either.

"Is everyone alright?" Anders asked, walking right past Fenris and Liam still controlling the last of the fire to the three of us by the house. "You didn't get burned?"

"Not at all," Merrill said, her voice sounding very strong right now. "It's all been taken care of."

I didn't know what that could have meant, but I didn't think about it; I was just so relieved by Anders' presence.

"And you are fine?" he asked me, and I released my hold on Merrill's hand then. She seemed to take that as an opportunity to lean closer to Carver.

_Odd._

"Yes. I was inside, so …" I shrugged. What else was there to say?

His lips gave a warm smile, and something about it brightened up my mood completely. "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"Well, I hope you had full coverage on that, Broody, because it looks like you're gonna need a new car," Professor Tethras commented. "Unless, of course, you somehow manage to drive that thing." He shrugged. "You've managed to do more with less, I'll admit."

"Shut up, Varric," Fenris muttered, but by the look on the professor's face, he had a lot more to say.

Fenris was right. He didn't really like to shut up.

After making sure the fire wouldn't start up again, we made our way inside and into the main foyer. It was large enough to house us and then some, though I still kept my distance.

Why were these professors here? And the dean? Was it that big of an issue that everyone needed to pile in here? It sucked that us students had to listen in on this, but I noticed very quickly how familiar Merrill acted toward Varric, or how close Liam stood near Anders and Aveline as they spoke amongst themselves.

It all made me uncomfortable. And I felt very alone then.

I took my leave then, while they were all animatedly distracted with one another, and went to the bedroom that Fenris had dropped me off in the previous night. Crashing onto the soft bed, I didn't bother to cover myself, rolling onto my side and falling instantly asleep.

…

I woke up very suddenly, my eyes shooting open. Initially, I believed I was in my dream world, since my room there is similar to the one here. However, upon inspecting myself, I noticed I was still in my sweatshirt and leggings from earlier, though the evening light from before had switched off, leaving me in blackness.

Sitting up slowly, I glanced around the room, hoping to find a light switch. It wasn't like I was afraid of the dark, just afraid of the unfamiliar. As we all were. But just as my eyes scanned the room, it caught sight of something.

Or someone.

I opened my mouth to scream, but the figure had crossed the room and held a hand over my mouth before the sound could escape, coming out short and muffled. My eyes brimmed with frightened tears as I stared with horror at the figure before me.

The moonlight from outside revealed a tall, pale person—a man, with slender hands leading up long arms, but not revealing their face. However, I could see their dark irises and their bright, surrounding whites glaring a hole into my forehead.

"Listen here very carefully," he started, and I instantly recognized the voice.

The man from earlier this year, the one Fenris had warned me to stay away from.

The man they suspected started the fire at my dorm. And if he was here, no doubt he also ignited the one on Fenris' car.

"A full moon is coming. And a lot of changes are going to come about. Just remember: not everyone is who they say they are, including yourself." He removed his hand from my mouth, feeling absolutely certain I wouldn't scream. And why would I; that statement had confused me to no end and I was still too frightened to utter anymore noise.

"But you didn't hear that from me," he finished, backing away toward the window. He opened it with the flick of his wrist—did he even touch it?—and leapt out of it. I listened for the sound of someone crashing onto the ground below, but it never came. Paranoid that he was still at the window, I didn't dare move my eyes from that spot for what seemed like an eternity.

But staying in that room by myself wasn't entirely wise either.

I shoved off the bed and scrambled to the door as quickly as possible, and as soon as I opened it—

-Did I finally scream.

Crashing onto my back, I covered my mouth with my hands as my eyes focused on who stood just outside my door.

Anders.

"I-I came here to check on you—" He bent down to reach for me, but I completely threw myself against him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and refusing to let go. "Elise? Elise, what is the matter? Did you have a bad dream?"

Feet could be heard in the corridor as they rushed to my room. I saw figures silhouetted by the bright light behind them, but didn't bother to figure out who was who. I was just glad to not be alone, considering what just happened.

"What is going on?" I heard Dean Vallen demand, stepping forward among the group.

"I think she had a bad—"

I pushed myself away and shook my head quickly, lifting a shaky hand to gesture to the open window. It still flung back and forth as wind started to whip the pain about.

"Did you… get hot?" Anders tried.

Frustrated, I finally found the words to speak, though the sentences were broken. "Someone—in my room—covered my mouth—" The tears that had brimmed while the intruder was in my room spilled over, and I started to shake violently. "C-couldn't scream, could-couldn't move—"

Anders stood me up and embraced me again, if only to keep me from collapsing. "You're safe now. You're not alone."

I heard Liam ask behind him, "Did you see their face?"

Sniffling and stepping away from Anders, feeling a little stronger with him by my side, I told them, "I didn't see his face, but… but I recognized his voice." I looked up at Fenris with certainty. "It was him, Dr. Leto. The man from before."

Fenris' eyes narrowed, and a look of disgust crossed over his usually smooth face before disappearing. "You will have to be moved for now. And I cannot risk you sleeping alone."

"I'll stay," Merrill piped up, going over to grab hold of my hand. "I don't really have anywhere else to go anyway."

Carver visibly slumped at Merrill's offer, obviously not liking that she wouldn't be staying with him.

"I suppose it will have to do," Aveline said with a soft sigh. "Let the rest of us be off then. There is much work to be done, and a lot of investigating." To me, she said, "And you get some rest. You have had a lot to deal with today."

Something about that statement triggered something in me, and I spoke before even thinking about it. "He said, 'A full moon is coming. And a lot of changes are going to come about. Just remember: not everyone is who they say they are, including yourself.'" I glanced between the each of them expectantly, and they all gave me the same blank stare. "I'm assuming that's supposed to mean something but… I don't know how. I don't know him, he doesn't know me."

"Don't think about it too much," Anders said, stroking the loose pieces of hair escaping their braid from my wet forehead. "You need to rest."

As we left that awful room, a piece of me couldn't help but think that everyone was too quiet. They, too, must have a lot on their minds, which I could absolutely understand. Still, it was… like the air amongst us was tight with something foreboding.

Taking Anders' advice once we entered our new room, I stopped thinking about it all and just went right back into a restless sleep.

_**A/N:**_ this was actually going to be longer but I decided to put the part of the chapter that was going to conclude this chapter into another chapter, so uh expect it soon.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:**_ Thanks lovelies for staying so dedicated!

**Chapter Seven**

I awoke anticipating that man's face looming over mine, and braced myself for the worst. But sunlight streaming from the window was the only thing to greet me.

Blinking slowly, I observed my new surroundings. This looked like a formal sitting room, complete with four large couches, one of which I occupied, another with blankets and a pillow, but no one laying with them. Merrill must have been up for the day. Since it was Sunday, I wasn't sure just what she could have been awake for, probably some science experience.

The girl was so dedicated to her work.

I first checked to make sure nothing hid under my couch before stepping off it and into the kitchen, a faint smell wafting from it and into my nostrils.

Sitting at the table was Fenris, a paper in his hands, and at the stove stood Merrill. She looked up as I entered the room and gave me a broad smile. "You slept in rather late, didn't you?"

"I… didn't get to sleep immediately," I admitted with a shrug, going to sit across from Fenris.

He put down his paper and looked me square in the eye. "Are you alright?"

I shrugged, not really sure how to answer that question. Physically, I was fine. No scratches, and my face from where that man had touched me felt alright. However… however, sleeping last night was an absolute nightmare, in more than one way. I dreamed of him, of his angry eyes and his leather-like skin and his long, claw-like hands. But I dreamed of him in a totally different sense, where he was almost demonic in nature and had awful powers—

I shuddered just thinking about it.

Reverting back to reality, I answered Fenris' question with a simple nod, though it was clear he didn't believe me. Thankfully, he didn't press me further, just went back to his paper, taking a sip from his mug every now and again.

"Well, it is all behind us now," Merrill said, placing a plate before me. It had to be something about this island, because this gourmet she placed before me definitely made me forget about my problems. "Eat up, you have work later, right?"

And now my problems were back. "Oh."

"Eat," Fenris repeated, narrowing his eyes at me over whatever article he was reading, so I did. I didn't realize just how hungry I'd been, but other than Fenris' meal from yesterday morning, I hadn't had anything else.

After breakfast, I put on my best clothes that slightly resembled my work uniform and walked to the nearest bus stop—at Merrill's and Fenris' behest did I go alone. I had to reassure them that it wasn't far enough away that if I screamed, they would be able to hear me.

Now sitting on the bus, it was nice to get lost in my own thoughts and not feel as if people were watching me.

Why did it seem like this guy was targeting me? Did it have to do with the fact I was associated with Fenris? Did he have some type of vendetta against him? It surely appeared that Fenris had one against him. Was he possibly confusing me with someone else? But he would have noticed the scar-like birthmark under my eye.

So many questions on my mind.

Work went by pretty slow. It seemed that word about the fire went around pretty quickly, and my work didn't penalize me for missing. Even if I didn't have a doctor's note, they honestly didn't expect me back for the rest of the week.

They were lucky I needed the money.

I fell into the rhythm of seating people, then bussing others while I waited for more customers to come in, as well as taking to-go orders. It was nice to get into some type of simple routine, with all the chaos ensuing lately.

After my shift ended at seven, I rode the bus home again. We had one more stop before the one-way trip back to campus—and I nearly choked on air when I noticed the man who got on.

He had to be stalking me. That had to be the issue. Thankfully, I chose a spot next to a classmate that wanted to discuss homework, so there was no room for him to sit near me. He did choose a sit two sections back, close enough to hear anything I had to say, far enough back that he couldn't possibly notice the panic seizing me.

I took out my phone and shakily started texting Merrill.

_He's here. He's on the bus. He's right behind me. What do I do? We're on our way to campus._

I got an immediate response.

_Fenris says we'll meet you at the first campus bus stop and to not miss it._

I pretended throughout the rest of the trip that he wasn't there, and that whatever was on my phone was so much more important. But _he_ was always in the back of my mind, and I could feel his eyes burning a hole into my skull.

Just as we approached the bus stop, I stood up, bid my classmate fair well, and hopped right off. Quite a few people came off with me, of course, but I hoped and prayed he wasn't one of them. I scanned the area but didn't see either Merrill or Fenris anywhere. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

"Where are you?" I asked, my voice laced with the anxiety I felt.

"We're on our way, there was a traffic jam."

"Hello, miss?" My blood ran cold as _his_ voice, sounding like slime down a pipe, crept up behind me. I didn't dare turn around at phone, hoping to appear preoccupied with my phone. "Miss, I believe I need your help."

"Don't move, Elise." Her volume must have been high enough to catch his voice. "We'll be there in just a minute. Do. Not. Move."

"I'm sorry, I don't believe there is any reason to be rude toward me." Now his voice was starting to get a little louder, catching the attention of those nearby. They all gave me dirty looks, judging that I was ignoring him, an old man, for the sake of my phone call.

Turning around, Merrill still on the line, I uttered in a low voice, "Yes?"

"Can you escort me to the nearest restroom? I should not have had that large lemonade before getting on that awful vehicle."

On the one side, if I fled, people would believe I was some awful, insensitive jerk. On the other side…

I could feel like going with him would definitely be the end of my life.

"Miss Gascov?" someone called, the voice sounding like honey to my ears. "Ah, there you are." Anders came up beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me behind him, using himself as a barrier between my pursuer and myself. "I was getting worried. I couldn't find you at first—" He paused, as if just realizing that someone else was there. He glanced back and gave the most genuine smile I'd ever seen on him. "Are you a friend of hers?"

The man gave a growl and stormed off, almost seeming to vanish into thin air.

Or maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me due to the stressful situation. Either way, I was glad he was gone.

"Are you alright?" he asked as we started walking away from the bus stop, people still staring after us.

"I am now," I said, realizing only then that I was still on the phone. "Merrill?"

"Did Anders find you?" She sounded on the edge of a panic attack; I could feel that on a personal level.

"Yes he did. I'm fine now."

"Good. Fenris had given him a call and told him to come find you. We're just around the library. We'll see you in a minute." Then she hung up the phone.

Just as she'd said, she was there and hugging me in less than a minute's time, and I welcomed the comfort. It was nice to be embraced after feeling so… dirty around that man.

"He did not touch you?" Fenris asked, inspecting me. I shook my head, but he still didn't look satisfied.

What was it about this man that made Fenris doubt so much? What was their history?

Maybe he would tell me in the near future. I certainly hoped so; I couldn't keep asking myself these questions that have yet to be answered.

Anders offered to drive us back to Fenris' home, and I sat in the back with Merrill while the two men talked. I noticed, then, that they each seemed to lean away from each other, their shoulders shoved against their respective doors.

_Odd._

"We need to catch him before it's too late," Anders muttered under his breath. "He's getting brave."

"You know him—he's there one second and then gone the next."

I tuned out after a little while; I didn't want to keep thinking about this asshole, just couldn't.

Now sitting on my own couch, I couldn't bring myself to sleep. I couldn't stand the impending dreams, or rather, nightmares. I couldn't stand the idea that he was, in fact, starting to rule over my night and day.

It wasn't fair. Whatever rivalry he and Fenris shared, why was I in anyway a part of it now? And why did it have to consume me so much? I could just go stay with a classmate that would no doubt make me do their homework, but at least I wouldn't be associated with this situation anymore.

All my problems would be solved.

However, I felt that being physically away from Fenris still wouldn't solve anything.

Overwhelmed with my thoughts, I finally rolled onto my side and closed my eyes, my mind shutting itself off for the night.

…

Eyes shooting open, I glanced around in the dark and instantly found Merrill, slumbering away. Creeping out of the room, I headed to where I thought the bathroom was, and spotted a room with its light still on. Peeking through the cracked door, I noticed Fenris asleep at a long dining table I'd never seen before, soft snoring escaping his lips.

My mouth curled into a secret smile and I left the room to find a spare blanket. Returning to him shortly after, I gently draped the fabric over his shoulders—

But the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back, him atop me, his hand hovering over my chest and his skin lighting up a bright blue.

My brown eyes widened in fear and shock. This was the Fenris I was dreaming about, though I was certain this was no dream. We were in our modern clothes, surrounded by his updated home, the smell of this morning's cooking still fresh in the air.

This was my dream Fenris, but this was absolutely my reality.

_**A/N:**_ Annnnd bye.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:**_ Wow! Lots of you flocking in! Thanks for the continuing support!

**Chapter Eight**

My chest was heaving.

My eyes were trying to really focus on the being before me.

My mind was trying to catch up to the events unfolding.

This was Fenris, my _dream_-Fenris, bright blue and beautiful and frightening and in for the kill. And it wasn't until a few seconds later—though it felt like minutes, hours even—did he return to his regular self, eyes wide with uncertainty and fear.

Quickly, he scrambled to his feet, not bothering to help me to mine, and rushed out of the door. When it was evident that I could safely stand up without the possibility of losing my heart, I followed right after him, my shorter legs pumping as quickly as they could.

When we were outside, I fell into a full run until I stood right in front of him. His hair was disheveled, his eyes wild, and his face full of guilt and anguish.

"Fenris—"

"I apologize," he interrupted, almost like he was ready to plead with me. "I do not know what came over me."

"Fenris, I'm not—"

"This is not how you were supposed to discover the truth. We were trying to work things out so you wouldn't have to—"

"Fenris, it's okay—"

"Maker, what now? This is the worst way all of this could have happened—"

Tentatively, I reached out and grabbed hold of his shoulder, remembering in my dreams that Fenris' tattoos hurt him with skin-to-skin contact unless done so carefully.

Very carefully.

Thoughts of Isabela touching him intimately flashed through my mind but I tossed those away. This moment was more important.

"Fenris." He stopped his ramblings to stare straight into my eyes, those dark green hues pulling me in too deep. "I'm not mad." Admittedly, a piece of me was still frightened, but more by the fact that he—_my_ Fenris was real over anything else that occurred. "I'm not upset."

He looked me up and down and seemed satisfied, and to believe me, for he visibly calmed down. Releasing a sigh of relief, he subtly removed himself from my group, looking away. Embarrassment laced his features, though I didn't understand why.

Honestly, I felt… relieved. Suspicions that literally haunted my dreams were confirmed. If Fenris was real then the others…

It only made sense that the others were as well. But what I didn't understand…

Well, the time period in which I saw them in my dreams was clearly in the past. And there were a lot of holes between my dreams, but the setting and timing in which they happened was unmistakable. But I was sure that since this was out in the open, we could talk about that later.

But first—

"Those times whenever I asked about my dreams, and you brushed them off as stress? Did you know who I was then?"

"Yes." He answered confidently, the panicked expression from before gone.

"Did you anticipate that… man from before coming after me as well?"

"Yes, I did."

"So you knew this would happen."

He paused, glancing away as if to buy time before finally answering, "Yes."

A piece of my heart sunk. He knew all this would happen, and didn't let me in on any of it. "It's _my_ life, Fenris. Why didn't you say something? Give me a warning or whatever? Anything would have been helpful."

Fenris went over to one of the benches outside of his home, the area riddled with cigarette butts. I raised my eyebrow; I didn't know he smoked, but that honestly was none of my business. And it also wasn't something to dwell on.

"When Merrill told me that you had been confirmed to start this upcoming semester, I almost couldn't believe it. Since…" Twiddling his thumbs, he seemed to think hard about how to say what he needed to say next. "Since we've been waiting."

I sucked in my lips, chewing on them as I mulled over how to respond. When finally the words came to me, I said, "Waiting? For how long?"

"A long damn time, Elise." He leaned back a bit, his hands holding onto the granite bench, looking up to the sky. "You'd be surprised how long."

"At this point, I could just about believe anything." Thinking this may be an opportune time to bring it up, since I already had previously, I asked, "Are my dreams real? Or were they?"

He nodded, still gazing upward, before his eyes caught mine. "They were, yes. But that was so long ago… seems like a dream to the rest of us."

Head bowed, I felt kind of embarrassed suddenly. I'd opened my thoughts out to this man, despite how humiliating and crazy it all was, and this seemed like a simpler explanation than the one he'd given me. If only I'd gone with my gut, if only…

"What are you thinking?"

The night sky twinkled brightly around us, and with a sigh I told him, "I'm thinking it's time for us to head back to bed. I'm thinking that I have school in the morning. I'm thinking that I have a lot to think about, but I don't know if I'll have any time." I pushed myself off the bench, my bottom and back protesting, and smiled warmly down at him. "And I meant what I said, Fenris. I'm not mad. Just… just very lost right now."

With that, I made the first move to leave our little spot, not bothering to turn my back to see if he was following. I was too lost in my thoughts to notice one way or another anyway.

…

School and work were a blur. I messed up two to-go orders and was forced to stick to seating while another employee dealt with my initial job. A part of me was glad; I didn't like dealing with to-go orders and seating was an easy task for me. I just marked off where they went, told the server, and left it at that. It also provided a lot of time to think, since Mondays weren't particularly busy.

While in class, I didn't focus on a single lecture. I was forming timelines, researching on my phone ones that matched up to the ones in my dreams, but I ended up at a loss. A couple of sites were actually blocked, which I felt was rather odd.

We were in university. Sure we didn't act like we deserved unlimited internet access, but we worked twelve years dealing with it in grade school and spent out the ass on tuition. It was the least they could allow.

At work, I tried to recall the names of those sites so I could look them up elsewhere, but they didn't come back to me. I would just browse my history later.

When my shift was over, Anders was prompt to meet me at work. I guessed Fenris still didn't get his rental from his insurance company. Hopping into Anders vehicle, I strapped myself in and stared forward, remaining silent.

"Fenris told me he… talked to you."

I nodded.

"Do you have any questions?"

Nodding again.

"Are you… going to ask them?"

To that, I shook my head. I still wasn't sure where to start, so I didn't want to get all flustered about it yet.

"Well… when you're ready to talk, you're welcome to do so."

My whole thing was: why didn't anyone talk before? Did they ever intend to? From Fenris' frantic monologue last night, I assumed not.

_Why?_

…

Merrill and Fenris both avoided me. I was glad for it; I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. I ended up skipping dinner, and neither of my "roomies" urged me to eat. I wasn't hungry anyway.

I waited until Merrill was fast asleep before sneaking out of our shared room, cleaned before use by Liam and Carver Hawke, and into the first floor foyer where my backpack lay. I had packed it previously with overnight clothing, my work uniform and my laptop. Just what I needed for an overnight exhibition to the library.

I didn't know why, but the campus felt the need to keep something like the library open at all hours. Most students enjoyed it; students who could work the shifts liked the times they were assigned, and those of us who needed late night study breaks took the opportunity with open arms.

The trek to the library from Fenris' home left me exhausted, but once seated at a comfortable La-Z-Boy with my laptop before me, I didn't much pay mind to that. Searching through my history, I found the sites that I'd been blocked from before—

Just for them to have that stupid pop-up from before blink back at me.

I stared at the urls, trying to figure out what was similar about them. Then I googled the links to see if something would come up.

Things recurred like "The Dragon Age" and things about the "Champion of Kirkwall" and the "Hero of Ferelden". But what did this have to do with me?

Anything? I wasn't sure. I was having one of those feelings again, where something familiar would consume me, but I didn't have time to dwell on it.

My phone went off.

Looking at the caller ID, I instantly grimaced. Hesitantly, I answered the phone, only to have Fenris' voice immediately boom in my ear.

"_**Where are you?"**_

Shutting my laptop and stuffing it into my backpack, I said, "On campus. I came here to meet a partner for a late night study session—"

"Why didn't you let anyone know that you were leaving?"

I ground my teeth together, getting unreasonably irritated by his tone. Deep in the recesses of my mind, where my most rational thoughts lay, I knew he was just worried. But the rest of my mind didn't like his tone of voice.

"Maybe I didn't want you to know. Maybe I was going to keep it all to myself."

It wasn't fair. They only wanted to protect me—from who or what, I didn't know. So throwing his words back at him like that was uncalled for on my part.

I just… I was confused! And angry! And I wanted to punch and throw things out of frustration of being in the dark! I felt like if I was informed, something could have been done a long time ago, yet none of them gave the chance!

Grabbing my bag and hanging up the phone before he could speak, I stormed outside and toward the boys' dorms. Though I didn't want to speak to them either, I planned on coming into the Hawke dorm just as a means to get away from my current residence. I hoped the boys would be too tired to care about me being there anyway.

As I was about to approach the building, I noticed someone looming just outside. A dorm advisor? A guard? But as I drew closer—I instantly started running back.

"Ah, ah, ah~" the man sang, waving his finger as he stepped under a streetlamp. "Why are you wandering about all by yourself? Haven't you learned your lesson by now?"

I shook my head, not to answer his question, but because I couldn't believe I'd honestly gotten myself into this situation—again.

The thing is, it wasn't the man from before, though he dressed rather similarly. As he approached me, hands outstretched like claws. I dropped my backpack and turned on my heel, but he pounced on me before I could make a step. The impact of my head against the concrete was harsh, to say the least. I could have sworn I heard my head crack, but it may have also been the concrete.

Mother did always say I had a hard head.

I rolled onto my back to better fight off my attacker, but he easily pulled my hands above my head, holding me by my wrists with only one hand. The other grasped at my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"What a beautiful girl you've become," he commented, a snarl forming on his face. His teeth were yellow and rotting and his breath smelled stale. It took all the will I had not to throw up in my mouth. "I can't wait to bring you to the boss. But in the meantime…" His hand slithered to the bottom of my sweater and slid underneath.

I wriggled under his touch, crying out for someone, anyone, to find and save me. He shut me up by slapping me so hard that he drew blood on the inside of my cheek. With wide, scared almond eyes, I stared up at him, not daring to move or even speak.

"He just wanted you alive, after all." I could feel the cold come into contact with my skin as he lifted the shirt from my body. "Anything else is fair—"

A bright blue flash. The man flying across the grass and his back hitting the brick wall of the boys' dorms. Someone lifting me to my feet and pulling me behind them. It was only then that I noticed Anders' long ponytail. Before him, Fenris, Merrill and Professor Tethras faced their foe, all holding a fierce expression on their faces.

"Look, I was just—"

"Do not ever touch her," growled Fenris, hands aglow as he lifted them as if to punch either side of his head. "Do not ever come back here again, do you understand?" Before he could run off, he stopped him long enough to say, "And tell your boss we have our eye on him."

The attacker scrambled to his feet and wobbled out of sight just as Liam and Carver came downstairs.

"What's going on?" asked Liam, turning to each of us. All eyes instantly fell on me after that, and my face flushed in embarrassment.

Then the weight of just what happened came down on me, and I collapsed to my knees. "He almost—he touched—" I shook my head, covering my bloodied mouth with my hands. "S-sor—"

"Rest assured, Elise," Anders began as he knelt before me, "that no matter what happens, you will always be safe."

Deep in my heart and soul, I knew that. But I still didn't feel safe.

_**A/N:**_ Alright, the next chapter will reveal why Elise has been feeling animalistic lately. And then the one after will be a long drabble of sorts that will reveal a lot of things regarding Elise and her current companions.

Stay tuned! And thanks again!


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